In the Clearing / In the Cavern (2CD)

In the Clearing / In the Cavern (Double album - 2010)
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Liner notes

These two albums, “In the Clearing” and “In the Cavern”, were recorded during an intense week deep in the desolate forests of Sweden. When driving to the studio, the last leg of the journey is on a gravel road through dense vegetation, and although we noisily arrived in cars, we spotted a fox crossing the road, an eagle on territorial watch and some deer grazing lazily in the pine tree shadows. This set the mood for the week to come; a complete focus on music, playing and interaction, and thus an effort to expand our sound inspired by these wondrously calm surroundings. Influenced more than ever by Scandinavia - our nature, our cold, our summers and our wildlife - this is, in many ways, programme music and a tonal description of a part of the northern hemisphere. It all felt very natural to us when playing, so we experienced very little of the confusion, doubts and errors often associated with the recording process. Naturally we recorded several takes on many songs, but although these compositions rely either heavily or entirely on improvisation both in form and harmony, we recorded versions where the length of the take matched the previous version to the second.
This is a very satisfying feeling when in the studio, as it means that we have developed a common sense of mood and time, and a level of precision that allows us to stop thinking and just play.

Jonas Howden Sjøvaag August 2010